Britain | The fortunate few

Every year, a few thousand people win Britain’s refugee lottery

They often end up in villages

A refugee from Syria carries his son while walking with a friend in Devon.
Safer spacesPhotograph: Andrew McConnell/UNHCR/Panos Pictures

Not everyone has to clamber onto a dangerous inflatable dinghy in the middle of the night. Some refugees fly to Britain. They are welcomed at the airport and often taken directly to furnished houses, where smiling volunteers and case workers help them register with doctors and local schools. They can work and claim benefits immediately.

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This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “The fortunate few”

From the April 5th 2025 edition

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